Darkness Ethereal | K.TH

Closet Hideout

My expression is troubled the minute I walk out my door with my phone clutched in my hand, and V notices.

"What's wrong, Tzuyu?"

At V's tentative voice, Jimin looks up from his thick book as well. His round glasses have nearly slipped off the tip of his sharp nose, and Jungkook yelps as he fumbles with a ketchup bottle he'd opened the wrong way.

"I..."

But V's gaze is intense, and the truth spills out of me like water.

"My parents want to see me."

"What for?" He hisses, iron entering his voice. "I thought they didn't care."

"That's what I thought, too." I mumble, my heart blackening at just the thought of seeing my stiff parents. "But they just called me today, and... told me to come visit them at Busan."

"Busan?!"

The three men echo shockingly, and I nod as V slams down the cup of water he'd been holding.

He hisses.

"There is no way I'm letting you go to damn Busan, Tzuyu. That's a six hour drive, and—"

"I'm not driving, I don't even have a car," I sigh, fidgeting with my fingers. "They told me they'd already booked a flight— and that's in an hour."

"Don't go."

I'd thought about that already, and there was nothing I wanted to do more in the world.

My voice is heavy.

"They told me that if I didn't come, then they'd make my brother come and make sure that I did. And I don't want that—"

"Let him come, then." V mutters, his voice tightening as he closes a hand. "I'll personally make sure he'll never walk again."

"Uh.." Jimin whispers, eyes flickering from me to him. "Did something happen with your brother?"

"He nearly killed V."

Jimin immediately shuts his mouth at that, pretending to look at his book again. Jungkook's lips tighten.

"I'll help hyung."

"No, Jungkook. He's crazy— he might burn down the entire apartment and my parents wouldn't hold it against him." I sigh, pulling my hair back into a ponytail.

"It'll be just a night, V."

There was no doubt I'd miss him like crazy, but it was better than something happening. Anything was better without my psychopath of a brother involved.

Besides, I couldn't risk any of them getting hurt because of me.

"Take care of yourselves, okay?" I say, and V's expression crumples. We hadn't been apart for so long, and my stupid parents were going to break that for the first time.

"Don't let Jungkook use the oven," I call, quickly pulling a jacket over my head. I'd just probably stay there overnight, nothing heavy should be packed.

"And Jimin, don't forget to shut off the sink faucet when you're done." I remind him as I bend down to kiss an angry V on his cheek.

I whisper.

"And you."

"Don't forget to eat, okay?"

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